Central vacuum cleaner wall valve, hose nipple, and cleaning system

Abstract

Hose nipple has longitudinal axis, distal end, and aperture. Distal end closed and in line with axis for insertion into wall valve. Aperture opens out of line with axis. Nipple and valve alignment mechanisms align nipple and valve apertures for mating. Valve member slides in valve on insertion of nipple through opening of valve against front surface of member. In first position, front surface between opening and aperture. Fluid connection through valve prevented. In second position, front surface further into valve, and fluid connection provided. Valve and nipple longitudinal retention mechanisms retain nipple. Mechanisms engaged by rotational movement. Valve and nipple rotational coupling mechanisms form rotational coupling that is manually engageable and releasable. Hose assembly has nipple, handle, and stretch hose. Handle may have turbine and generator, air causes turbine to turn and generator to generate electrical energy. Central vacuum cleaning system has vacuum source, valve, piping, and assembly.

1 . A vacuum wall valve for use in association with a vacuum hose assembly having a hose nipple, the vacuum wall valve comprising: 
 a) an opening for receiving the hose nipple,    b) a valve member having a front surface, and    c) an aperture,    wherein the valve member is adapted for movement in the wall valve between a first position and a second position in response to insertion of the hose nipple through the opening and against the front surface,    wherein in the first position the front surface is between the opening and the aperture, the front surface substantially encloses the opening, and fluid connection between the opening and the aperture through the wall valve is prevented by the valve member, and    wherein in the second position the front surface is further into the wall valve in relation to the opening, and fluid connection is provided through the wall valve between the opening and the aperture.    
   
   
       2 . The vacuum wall valve of  claim 1  wherein the valve member is adapted for movement by sliding between the first position and the second position.  
   
   
       3 . The vacuum wall valve of  claim 1  wherein the valve member has a sealing surface, wherein the sealing surface seals about the valve aperture to prevent fluid connection between the opening and the aperture when the valve member is in the first position, and wherein the sealing surface is positioned away from the aperture to permit fluid connection between the opening and the aperture when the valve member is in the second position.  
   
   
       4 . The vacuum wall valve of  claim 3  wherein the hose nipple with which the valve is to be used has a longitudinal axis and an aperture in the hose nipple that opens out of line with the hose nipple longitudinal axis, and wherein the valve aperture is positioned to mate with the hose nipple aperture to provide sealed fluid communication between the valve aperture and the hose nipple.  
   
   
       5 . The vacuum wall valve of  claim 4  wherein the valve aperture opens generally perpendicular to the valve longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       6 . The vacuum wall valve of  claim 4  further comprising a valve alignment mechanism for receiving a corresponding nipple alignment mechanism on the hose nipple with which the valve is to be used, the alignment mechanisms in combination for aligning the hose nipple aperture and the valve aperture for mating.  
   
   
       7 . The vacuum wall valve of  claim 1  further comprising a first longitudinal retention mechanism for receiving a corresponding second longitudinal retention mechanism on the hose nipple, the retention mechanisms in combination for releasably retaining the hose nipple in the wall valve against longitudinal movement during use.  
   
   
       8 . The vacuum wall valve of  claim 7  wherein the retention mechanisms are engaged by rotational movement.  
   
   
       9 . The vacuum wall valve of  claim 8  wherein the retention mechanisms are corresponding flanges.  
   
   
       10 . The wall valve of  claim 1  further comprising a first rotational coupling mechanism for engagement with a second rotational coupling mechanism on the hose nipple, wherein engagement of the first rotational coupling mechanism and the second rotational coupling mechanism forms a rotational coupling between the valve and hose nipple, wherein the rotational coupling is manually engageable and manually releasable.  
   
   
       11 . The wall valve of  claim 6  wherein the valve alignment mechanism comprises a first valve alignment mechanism on the front surface.  
   
   
       12 . The wall valve of  claim 1  further comprising: a generally tubular conduit, wherein the opening is in one end of the conduit and an opposing end of the conduit is closed, wherein the aperture opens through the conduit but not at either of the ends, and wherein the valve member is adapted for movement in the wall valve by sliding within the conduit, and the first position and the second position are within the conduit.  
   
   
       13 . The wall valve of  claim 6  further comprising: a generally tubular conduit, wherein the opening is in one end of the conduit and an opposing end of the conduit is closed, wherein the aperture opens through the conduit but not at either of the ends, wherein the valve member is adapted for movement in the wall valve by sliding within the conduit and the first position and the second position are within the conduit, and the valve alignment mechanism comprises a first valve alignment mechanism on the front surface, and the nipple alignment mechanism is on the hose nipple.  
   
   
       14 . The wall valve of  claim 13  wherein the valve member and the conduit are adapted to permit rotation of the valve member within the conduit such that the valve aperture and the hose nipple aperture may be rotationally aligned.  
   
   
       15 . The wall valve of  claim 6  wherein the valve alignment mechanism comprises a first alignment mechanism on the front surface of the valve member corresponding to the nipple alignment mechanism, and a second alignment mechanism on the valve member and a corresponding third alignment mechanism on the conduit, wherein the nipple alignment mechanism and the first alignment mechanism in combination rotationally align the hose nipple and the valve member, and the second alignment mechanism and the third alignment mechanism in combination rotationally align the valve member and the conduit, whereby the valve aperture and the hose nipple aperture are rotationally aligned.  
   
   
       16 . The wall valve of  claim 15  wherein the second and third alignment mechanisms further comprise a positive indication of rotational alignment of the valve aperture and the hose nipple aperture.  
   
   
       17 . The wall valve of  claim 16  the second and third alignment mechanisms further comprise a locking arrangement to prevent undesired rotation of the valve aperture and the hose nipple aperture once the apertures are aligned.  
   
   
       18 . The wall valve of  claim 4  further comprising a first rotational alignment mechanism for alignment with a second rotational alignment mechanism on the hose nipple, wherein alignment of the first rotational alignment mechanism and the second rotational alignment mechanism is used to align the hose nipple aperture and the valve aperture.  
   
   
       19 . A central vacuum cleaning system hose nipple for use in association with a central vacuum cleaning system wall valve, the hose nipple comprising: 
 a) a longitudinal axis,    b) a distal end,    c) and an aperture.    wherein the distal end is closed and in line with the longitudinal axis,    wherein the distal end is for insertion into the wall valve, and    wherein the aperture opens out of line with the longitudinal axis.    
   
   
       20 . The hose nipple of  claim 19  further comprising a first alignment mechanism for insertion against a corresponding second alignment mechanism on the wall valve with which the hose nipple is to be used, the alignment mechanisms in combination aligning the hose nipple aperture and a wall valve aperture on the wall valve for mating.  
   
   
       21 . A central vacuum cleaning system hose assembly for use in association with a wall valve having a first longitudinal retention mechanism, the hose assembly comprising: 
 a) a hose nipple,    b) hose handle, and    c) a hose,    wherein the hose nipple is connected to a first end of the hose and the hose handle is connected to an opposing second end of the hose,    wherein the hose is a stretch hose, and    wherein the hose nipple comprises a second longitudinal retention mechanism for mating with the first longitudinal retention mechanism to releasably retain the hose nipple in the wall valve against longitudinal movement during use.    
   
   
       22 . The hose assembly of  claim 21  wherein the stretch hose is wireless and the handle comprises a radio frequency wireless transmitter.  
   
   
       23 . The hose assembly of  claim 22  wherein the handle further comprises a turbine and a generator, wherein the turbine is located such that air moving through the cleaning system during use will cause the turbine to turn, and wherein turning of the turbine causes the generator to generate electrical energy.  
   
   
       24 . A central vacuum cleaning system comprising: 
 a) a central vacuum source,    b) a wall valve,    c) piping providing fluid communication between the wall valve and the vacuum source,    wherein the wall valve comprises an opening for receiving the hose nipple, a valve member having a front surface, and an aperture,    wherein the valve member is adapted for movement in the wall valve between a first position and a second position in response to insertion of the hose nipple through the opening and against the front surface,    wherein in the first position the front surface is between the opening and the aperture, the front surface substantially encloses the opening, and fluid connection between the opening and the aperture through the wall valve is prevented by the valve member, and    wherein in the second position the front surface is further into the wall valve in relation to the opening, and fluid connection is provided through the wall valve between the opening and the aperture.    
   
   
       25 . A central vacuum cleaning system comprising 
 a) a central vacuum source,    b) a wall valve having an opening,    c) piping providing fluid communication between the wall valve and the vacuum source, and    d) a hose assembly,    wherein the wall valve comprises a first longitudinal retention mechanism    wherein the hose assembly comprises a hose, and a hose nipple at one end of the hose and a handle at another end of the hose,    wherein the hose is a stretch hose,    wherein the hose nipple has a second longitudinal retention mechanism,    wherein the first longitudinal retention mechanism is for receiving the second longitudinal retention mechanism during mating of the hose nipple and the wall valve, and    wherein the retention mechanisms in combination releasably retain the hose nipple in the opening of the wall valve against longitudinal movement during use of the cleaning system for cleaning.